Trump Supporters Want Law Professors to Stay Silent

Experts on the Constitution should speak up, not stay quiet, about the legality of Trump administration policies, says letter writer.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A letter writer responds to a complaint that law professors should not be commenting on the legality of Trump administration policies, arguing that as experts in the law, they should be speaking up to inform the public about how the administration may be breaking the law through its actions.

Why it matters

This debate highlights the tension between those who believe law professors should stay out of politics and those who believe their expertise is valuable in evaluating the constitutionality of government actions, especially on high-profile issues.

The details

The letter writer argues that law professors are not commenting on Trump's general political views, but specifically on the constitutionality of his administration's policies and actions through organizations like ICE. The writer says law professors, of all people, should be speaking up to inform the public about potential legal violations by the administration.

  • The original letter that prompted this response was published on February 7, 2026.
  • This response letter was published on February 16, 2026.

The players

Colleen Ruggieri

The person who originally complained about law professors commenting on the Trump administration.

Teresa Browning

The letter writer responding to Ruggieri's complaint.

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What they’re saying

“Who has more expertise in this area than law professors?”

— Teresa Browning (The Dispatch)

“They are not commenting on his general political views. They are commenting on the constitutionality of his specific actions through organizations like ICE. They, of all people, should be speaking up to specifically inform the rest of us exactly how his administration is breaking the law. It's important.”

— Teresa Browning (The Dispatch)

The takeaway

This debate highlights the ongoing tensions between those who believe experts should stay out of politics and those who believe their expertise is valuable in evaluating the actions of the government, even on controversial issues.